View source for Galactagogue

[[Image:galegaofficinalis03.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Goat's Rue (''Galega officinalis'')]]
A '''galactagogue''' (from {{lang-el|γάλα}} [γαλακτ-], milk, + ἀγωγός, leading) is a substance that promotes [[lactation]] in humans and other animals.<ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/galactagogue Merriam-Webster: galactagogue]</ref> It may be synthetic, plant-derived, or [[endogenous]].

The most commonly cited galactagogues are herbal.  The most popular of these are:
*[[Asparagus]]
*[[Fenugreek]]
*[[Brewer's yeast]]
*[[cnicus|blessed thistle]]
*[[alfalfa]]

Others include:
*[[Anise]]
*[[astragalus]] root
*[[boza]]
*[[burdock]]
*[[nettle]]
*[[fennel]]
*[[flax]]
*[[soapwort]]
*[[vervain]]
*[[red raspberry leaf]]
*[[Althaea (genus)|marshmallow]] (althaea) root

Herbal galactogogues are divided into those believed to also have a sedating action on the nursing infant due to their volatile constituents, which can be carried through the breast milk itself, and those seen as promoting milk production without directly affecting the content.  This often seems to be linked to [[anethol]] content.<ref>Macintyre, A., The Herbal For Mother And Child, ISBN 1852302445</ref>.

The effectiveness of herbal galactogogues can be increased by also consuming marshmallow root, which increases the absorption rate of other galactogogues<ref>[http://lactiful.com/ingredients.html Herbs for increasing breast milk supply]</ref>.

The most effective galactagogues are medications, available usually by [[medical prescription]].  These include [[domperidone]] and [[metoclopramide]].  Domperidone, a [[dopamine]] [[antagonist]], is not approved for enhanced lactation in the USA.<ref>{{Cite document
  | first = Caroline J.
  | last = Chantry
  | first2 = Cynthia R.
  | last2 = Howard
  | first3 = Anne
  | last3 = Montgomery
  | first4 = Nancy
  | last4 = Wight
  | title = Use of galactogogues in initiating or augmenting maternal milk supply
  | series = ABM protocols, Protocol#9
  | year = 2004
  | publisher = The Academy Of Breastfeeding Medicine
  | url = http://www.bfmed.org/ace-files/protocol/prot9galactogoguesEnglish.pdf
  | format = PDF <!-- {{Dead link|date=February 2009}}  Archiveurl added 2010-06-19 -->
  | postscript = <!--None-->
  | quote = Supported in part by a grant from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Department of Health and Human Services.
  | archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20070628052457/http://www.bfmed.org/ace-files/protocol/prot9galactogoguesEnglish.pdf
  | archivedate= 2007-06-28 
}}</ref><ref>da Silva, Orlando P. and Knoppert, David C.: Health and drug alerts: Domperidone for lactating women, Canadian Medical Association Newsletter SEPT. 28, 2004. Copy available as [http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/reprint/171/7/725 PDF]</ref> It is, however, prescribed in the UK.  Some drugs, primarily [[atypical antipsychotics]] such as [[Risperdal]], may cause lactation in both women and men.

Most of those discovered have been found to interact with the [[dopamine]] system in such a way to increase the production of [[prolactin]] endogenously.

==See also==
*[[Galactorrhea]]
*[[Herbalism]]
*[[Male lactation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wiktionary|galactagogue}}
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=12192964&query_hl=3&itool=pubmed_docsum PubMed] Peer-Reviewed Article on synthetics
*[http://www.adhb.govt.nz/newborn/Guidelines/Maternal/DomperidoneAndBreastFeeding.htm New Zealand government website]
*[http://www.pfaf.org/database/search_use.php?K%5B%5D=Galactogogue www.pfaf.org]
*[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0838/is_127/ai_n6366772 www.findarticles.com]


[[Category:Breastfeeding]]
[[Category:Pharmacology]]
[[Category:Biologically based therapies]]
[[Category:Medicinal herbs and fungi]]


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[[ca:Galactagog]]
[[es:Galactogoga]]
[[Category:2Fix]]